Tag Archives: Dinner

To all the bread lovers out there, this one is for you. But… this is a relatively healthy bread made from Gluten Free Chickpea and Rice Flours. Both these flours are high in fibre, so that is a huge plus! Personally I think Chickpea flour is the bomb! Apart from being high in fibre, it is high in protein and iron. Just a heads up, I have been using this flour more and more lately, so expect more chickpea flour adventures 🙂 In all seriousness, I just love the subtle nuttiness of it.

This Gluten and Wheat Free Savoury Spiced Bread is just a great. It is ridiculously easy to do and can be prepared and done in no time at all !!! I don’t often find a Gluten-Free bread recipe that really makes me excited, let alone end up being totally successful. This recipe is one of my old time finds dating back to the late 90’s. It has proven to me time after time, and has yet to disappoint. Having made this recipe many times, I have always slightly altered it one way or the other, either by changing the actual flours, depending on what I actually have on hand, herbs and spices and then just adding a bit of texture here and there. The flavours here are superb….almost earthy….I think 🙂 . I love adding the additional sunflower seeds sprinkled on the top…just for that extra crunch 🙂 . Generally, I just eat this bread plain, without any butter as I don’t really think it needs anything added to it. Oh… also, this bread is ideal for slicing up, wrapping up and freezing. This way it makes the perfect additive for lunches or that quick snack.

Gluten and Wheat Free Savoury Spiced Bread

Preparation time: 12 minutes

Cooking time: 30 – 35 minutes

Total time: 42 – 47 minutes

Ingredients:

152 grams (360 milliliters) white or brown rice flour

36 grams (85 milliliters) chickpea flour

1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 milliliters) bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) ground coriander

1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) dried origanum

1/2 teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) ground cumin

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup (250 milliliters / 250 grams) unsweetened apple juice

4 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (65 milliliters / 65 grams) sunflower oil

3 Tablespoons (45 milliliters / 45 grams) lemon juice

1 Tablespoon (15 milliliters) honey

2 Tablespoons Tahini paste

2 jumbo-sized free range eggs

Topping: Dry toasted sunflower and sesame seeds

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius / 320 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large sized bowl, add the flours, bicarb, herbs and spices together. Using a hand whisk, whisk together to combine all the ingredients and set aside.

This is the simplest meal ever ! and it is under 30 minutes !!! It seriously is a matter of pasta and pesto, tossed together….meal done. Eat hot or cold. I had some of this fancy bow tie (or butterfly) pasta, which I could just not resist in my cupboard. (Probably the last of my gluten pasta, but that is fine.) If you are Gluten Free, use a Gluten Free Pasta, even if you cannot get the fancy bow tie (or butterfly) one, any pasta will do. It all is great !!!

Now, for the people who aren’t keen on the hot stuff….. brace yourself…this is not a hot meal unless you get over enthusiastic with the wasabi, and then your nasal passages will be going crazy with this cold, airy feeling (actually weird feeling). Your eyes may start to water and your sinus’s will be utterly cleared. So, note to yourself: Keep it simple and enjoy the slight flavour….

Cook the pasta as per packet instructions, and use the quantity you want.

Whilst the pasta is cooking, place all the pesto ingredients into a food processor and process until the pesto sauce is nice and creamy. If you want the sauce a smoother consistency add a little extra olive oil or a dash of water.

Once the pesto is done, serve with the cooked pasta and top with cherry tomatoes.

Yes, I know, everyone knows how to do a fried rice dish, but really they all can be so different ! This is so scrumptious, it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I added a couple eggs, but of course if you want this to be totally vegan, leave the eggs out. It is still so delicious, and you probably will want to stuff your face like I did…..straight from the pan! I kid you not !!!. In fact, if you are on your own, go for it, grab a spoon and just eat…no one will see you….. and trust me, there is no judgement my side. I have done this !!! Seriously, this kind of throw together thingy works like a dream. Basically it is just a nice array of leftovers, so each time I have done it, it differs from the last time. I don’t do a lot of flavours as then I find, I don’t know what I am tasting, so I just keep it simple. That way for me, is the tastiest….and if you are wanting a bit of oomph, add some chilli flakes, fresh coriander and you are good to go. !

Coriander Egg Chilli Corn Sugar Snap Pea Fried Rice

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 3 – 4 minutes

Total time: 8 – 9 minutes

Serves 1

Ingredients:

a little oil for frying

1/4 cup (approximately 60 milliliters) uncooked chopped onion

1 garlic clove, chopped (I used a large fat clove)

1 fresh corn on the cob, corn (kernels) cut off

60 grams uncooked sugar snap peas, roughly chopped,

1 cup cooked rice

2 free range eggs

Salt and Pepper

Chilli Flakes – optional

Fresh Coriander to garnish

Instructions:

Using a small pan on medium heat add the onion and saute’ for a couple minutes. Then add the garlic, corn, and snap peas. Fry, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Then, scoop all the cooked ingredients to the side of the pan and on the opposite side of the pan break the eggs, and stir around, cooking the eggs. Once done, mix the eggs and veggies all together. Season to taste.

It does not get easier than this. I have your breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack attack all sorted for you today. Isn’t this the perfect meal ? I love a meal that can be for whatever meal you want it to be. Throw in a salad and you have lunch or dinner…who is complaining ! 🙂 .

You know I seem to have this thing about zucchini’s. Well, instead of having them sliced, diced or spiralized, this time I have grated them ! I know ! For some reason biting into a chunk of zucchini didn’t appeal to me today, cooked or not, soooo I present to you, grated zucchini. This needs a teeny bit of work to get the excess water out, which I highly suggest otherwise the frittata will be a bit on the soggy side. The sundried tomatoes are heavenly with this and add such an amazing flavour. Guys, this frittata is insane !!!! in a good way, trust me. And…..it can be eaten hot or cold !!!

In fact, it may be a good idea to make two at once, because if your family are anything like mine, one will be gone in a blink of an eye… In fact, let’s get real here, mine came out of the oven, piping hot and everyone wanted… It didn’t last long and I was requested to make another. Either it was really good, or my family was starving. Either or, another was made, but this time the hungry mouths were put on hold so photograph’s could be taken.

Put grated zucchini on a dish towel, and add salt. (This will help bring out the excess water from the zucchini) Bring all the sides of the dish towel together and let it sit whilst preparing the rest of the ingredients.

Place the eggs and buttermilk into a medium-sized bowl and whisk well together. (I used an electric beater for this)

Heat up a medium-sized skillet or pan (approximately 9 inches / 23 centimeters) on the stove with the butter and saute’ the onion and garlic together.

Squeeze out all the excess water from the zucchini. Add the zucchini to the onion and garlic. Stir around.

Add the sundried tomatoes.

Taste, and season with salt and pepper.

Add the whisked eggs and buttermilk and stir with a wooden spoon.

Add the grated cheese, stir again until all the ingredients are nicely combined.

Place the skillet or pan into the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until eggs have set and the frittata is a nice light shade of golden.

Enjoy 🙂

NB*

Please make sure the skillet or pan is able to go into a heated oven.

If the arm/handle of the skillet or pan retains heat, please wrap the arm/handle with aluminium foil.

Alternatively, you can always pour the contents of your pan/skillet into an oven proof dish once all the stove top cooking is done and then place into the oven.

I have created a Meatless Chilli Quinoa Pattie hubby monster…and I mean this in the most loving way ever ! If the hubby could, he would eat this all day and everyday. This Chilli Quinoa Pattie meal has become one of the hubby’s absolute faves!

Seriously, I am not complaining. All it is, is one large bowl, and it is a matter of chop, chop, chop and bomb…it doesn’t get easier than that. Oh, then there is the messy hand bit, to make the patties, but hey, what’s a little mess between friends…

These Chilli Quinoa Patties are divine no matter how you choose to eat them. Personally I love mine with a bunch of roasted vegetables or salad….but you knew that already, so that was a bit of useless information…ummm sorry. The patties themselves are beautifully moist inside, so don’t really have the need to be doused in sauce, if any, to be honest.

Meatless Chilli Quinoa Patties

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

Makes between 9 and 12 (depending on size)

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 cup diced white onion

2 1/2 cups diced peppers (I used a red, yellow and green pepper)

3 cups grated matured cheddar cheese

2-3 discs of feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup sun-dried tomato pesto

4 Tablespoon sun-dried tomato, chopped (I buy the one in oil, but do not use the oil)

1 jumbo-sized egg

1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs)

1 heaped teaspoon of chilli powder

2 heaped teaspoons each of dried oregano and dried parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius/350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, add all the ingredients. Mix very well and make into patties.

This is my latest craving ! I think I could have curried roasted vegetables forever without tiring from them. This sauce OMW !!! This sauce is the star of the show ! It is probably the most versatile sauce I have made and it is great with Evverryything !!!. With literally six ingredients you have the ultimate sauce, and best of all….no major effort.

I do a lot of roasted vegetables, and one day decided to throw some curry powder on them instead of the usual herbs. Result: Perfect. That night I was going to serve it on quinoa (obviously) but just thought that it needed a bit of oomph. I didn’t really know where I was going with this, but some sort of sauce was needed, maybe…but I didn’t want the thickness of a white sauce effect…. So, butter, chopped onion, minced garlic, curry powder, a little milk and cornflour came to play and the Curry Sauce was born. Now….this sauce is used for pretty much anything, on top of patties, burgers, tortillas, you name it, the sauce is used ! Seriously, if the hubby could drink this sauce from a straw, trust me he would !!! In fact I am waiting for him to pile it on a sandwich instead of his usual peanut butter !!!

The great thing about this Curried Roasted Vegetables and Curry Sauce is that you can mix and match whatever vegetables you like, or better still whatever vegetables you have on hand. This can be made as a main meal or a side…I mean, really….how great is this!!!

Curried Roasted Vegetables and Curry Sauce

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

Butternut

Carrot

Peppers

Tomato

Marrows

Salt and Pepper

Sprinkling of curry powder

Optional: Top with roasted curried chickpeas *

Kale

For the Sauce: (Makes just over 1 cup /approximately 300 millilitres thickish sauce)

If you are going to roast Kale, I like to do this on a separate baking tray from the other veggies. Remove the kale leaves from the stalk. Massage the Kale leaves with a drizzling of olive oil and salt, for a few minutes. Place in the preheated oven, and watch carefully, as the Kale roasts up quickly. Remove from oven. The Kale will be nice and crispy. This is a great snack attack btw, but try to save some for your meal :-).

Chop up all your vegetables, preferably the same size for roasting.

Place on baking trays, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and season with salt, pepper and curry powder.

Give the veggies a toss so that the oil and seasoning covers the veggies well.

Place in the oven and roast. Check about half way through and give them a stir around.

Remove from the oven once done.

Whilst the veggies are roasting, make the Curry Sauce.

In a small pot, on medium heat, add the butter and saute’ the diced onion and garlic. Add the curry powder and stir.

In a small cup add the maizena/cornflour and use a little of the milk you’ve measured out and add to the maizena/cornflour to help it combine. Add this mixture to the small pot with the saute’d onion and garlic. Stir gently.

Then add all of the remaining milk (except the extra measured out for thinning the sauce if needed) and allow to reach boiling stage. Keep stirring. The sauce will thicken. If it is too thick, add a little milk. If the sauce does stand awhile, it will naturally thicken and then just thin out with a little milk.

Taste. If you want the sauce hotter, add more curry powder.

Serve the curry sauce on top of the roasted veggies and top with crunchy roasted curried chickpeas.

Enjoy 🙂

NB* To Roast Chickpeas: Place cooked chickpeas on a baking tray, drizzle olive oil over and season with salt and pepper. Add a sprinkling of curry powder. Toss so all the chickpeas are generously covered with the seasonings. Place in pre-heated oven and cook until a light golden brown.

I really seem to be into my carbs lately. Clearly my body must be lacking something, or I am storing up for winter…but it can’t be the latter as it doesn’t really get THAT cold here (she says all curled up under her duvet nearing the end of May) Well, in all seriousness, a couple weeks ago we really did have a cold spell over the weekend. You should have seen me then….

Oh well, such is life….

This Creamy Mushroom Garlic Basil Pesto Spaghetti is my go-to meal. It is simple, and probably the easiest meal known to mankind to make. It is incredibly tasty and ultra healthy.

In another pot, on medium heat, add butter and saute’ the sliced mushrooms and garlic. Set aside once done. In the same pot you used for the mushrooms add the butter for the sauce, allow to bubble and boil slightly. Remove from the heat and add in the flour. Stir well. Return to the heat and stir well adding the milk in gradually. This could be a bit of an arm workout, but it is nothing serious. Keep on stirring until the sauce thickens and the milk is finished. Add the pesto, most of the mushrooms and stir. Take the pot off the stove.

On individual plates, serve the pesto sauce on top of the spaghetti and top with the balance of the mushrooms.

Look I just added a liittttle cheese !!! We had such an onslaught of cheese the other week (which of course was divine), so I thought today I would just keep it simple, with a minimal amount of cheese.

These little guys are so awesome and really is such a versatile meal. For as long as I can remember I have LOVED roasted peppers. Hey, I am not even picky about which colour pepper I have. I know some people do have their preferences, but not me…. So, I know stuffed peppers is not a new thing….but then it is all about the filling. So if you want to go the ‘veggie way’ these I think will impress you ! These Lentil and Nut Stuffed Peppers can easily just be eaten as is. Don’t be shy, be like me and try all the colours and make it a meal. I served these little babies with a ton of roasted veggies…(yes, that is how I like them) but knock yourself out and serve them pretty much how ever you would like to serve them. No matter what….I know you’ll enjoy 🙂 !

Lentil and Nut Stuffed Roasted Peppers

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 – 30 minutes

Total time: 35 – 45 minutes

Makes 8 – 9 whole peppers, depending on the size

Ingredients:

8 – 9 whole peppers

1 cup cooked lentils (I used brown)

1 cup grated carrots

approximately 3/4 cup diced white onion

1 clove garlic crushed and diced

a handful of grated matured cheddar cheese – optional (for the cheese lovers, you can add one cup)

1/2 cup dry toasted nuts, slightly chopped (I used walnuts)

1/2 cup dry toasted sunflower seeds

100 grams tomato paste

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried parsley

2 teaspoons dried basil

Salt and Pepper

For the topping: extra matured cheddar cheese – optional

extra dry toasted nuts (I used walnuts)

Instructions:

In a large bowl add all the above ingredients except for the extra cheese and nuts.

Cut the top off each pepper (so it acts like a lid or hat for the pepper LOL)

With a tablespoon generously fill each pepper.

Top with extra cheese and nuts.

Place in the oven (place some aluminium foil/tin foil over ovenproof dish) and allow to roast. Check peppers after 20 minutes. Roast in oven until the cheese is bubbling. You may want to take the foil off from the ovenproof dish nearing the end of roasting time.

Remove from the oven.

Serve hot either with roasted vegetables or with a salad.

Enjoy 🙂

NB*

1) To make it vegan, omit the cheese.

2) Preparation time can literally be cut in half with this meal if the cheese is already grated, and the nuts and seeds are already dry toasted.

3) This recipe can easily be cut in half if wanted, as it does make a fair amount. Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge and utilized again, even making alternative meals.

Spiralized Butternut Spaghetti……finally !!!! Do you know how long I have wanted to do a Butternut Spaghetti meal? Well, let’s just say…a l-o-n-g time ! and, you are going to love this one….

Firstly, it is incredibly easy. Secondly, it is extremely tasty, and…Thirdly, you just need to make this.

This pesto, is my everything right now. I mean,who would have thought that a brinjal (sorry I am using the name I use for it here in this country) pesto would be so incredible awesome?….. Me ! because I love nuts and anything with nuts IS awesome !!! By the way, if you don’t have walnuts, I am sure any nut will be equally as great…it is just that I had ….Ummmmm…a fair amount of walnuts, so walnuts have been going into EVERYTHING 🙂

To make the Pesto: Cut the brinjal in half, lightly drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the brinjal in the heated oven and roast for about 25/30 minutes or until done. Then remove from the oven. Scoop out the insides and discard the skin. Allow to cool. Place the cooled flesh of the brinjal into a food processor and add all the other ingredients. Process until the consistency you like and taste and add more salt or pepper if necessary. If you find that you would like a thinner consistency, by all means add another tablespoon or two of olive oil .

In the meantime, place the spiralized butternut onto a couple of baking sheets. You may want to just get a knife and cut the spiralized butternut pieces a little shorter (mine were massively long) so it’s more edible. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mine took about 8 minutes till it was firm but done. (Try not cook the butternut until it is too soft, as it will just mash up and break when tossing through the pesto.) When done, set aside and keep warm.

Whilst the butternut spaghetti is in the oven roasting, dry toast the walnuts, and roast your tomatoes.

To dry toast the walnuts: This you do by just adding the dry walnuts to a small frying pan and frequently toss with a wooden spoon. You do not add any oil to these, as nuts have their own natural oils. Continue to toast until slightly fragrant, and then remove from the stove and set aside.

To roast the tomatoes: Place the tomatoes (cut side down if you cut them in half) on a baking sheet, drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in the pre-heated oven and allow to roast till the tomatoes pop in the oven and look a bit wrinkled.

Once everything is done, serve hot. Add more cherry tomatoes and fresh basil leaves for garnish.

Enjoy 🙂

NB* For the pesto: If you do not have a food processor and will be using a blender, you may want to use a pestle and mortar and break the nuts up more.

Also, quantities do not have to be the same and can vary. (That is what I like about pesto’s, you can make it your own)

Okay, I have loaded up quinoa with loads of veggies and I am not apologizing. So, to veggie lovers out there, today is your day. I have for you, a mound of deliciousness all in one bowl !!! This is awesome, and,yes, this is pretty much a one pot meal sort of. It is easy and a matter of, throw together, bake and devour. I need these kinds of meals in my life now and then. I mean there is nothing better than this. Since I have been making this quinoa meal, it kind of changes each time, with what I would put into it. Then I decided to perhaps put some order into it, especially if I wanted to share it with all you guys, because it was always soooooo divine, and healthy and tasty and all those good things….so order it now has, and I actually have now stuck to this recipe on several occasions. Don’t get me wrong, if you try it and want to spruce it up a bit, go for it, add whatever, I am sure it will be great.

Topping: Grated matured cheese/feta or any cheese of your choice (I used matured and feta)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celscius/350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prepare the quinoa with veggie stock, and cook for 8-10 minutes only. Whilst the quinoa is cooking, saute the onions and peppers in a pan. After a minute or two add the marrows and corn. Cook for a few minutes. Do not over cook! By this time the quinoa would have soaked up the stock. Set aside.

Once vegetables are done add them to the cooked quinoa.

Add the chopped tomatoes, and roughly chopped baby spinach. Stir around well so all the veggies are mixed through.

Place in an oven proof dish approximately 9 x 13 inches. Top with cheese of your choice. I used a combination of feta and matured cheddar (because I could not decide which one to use). I made slight indentations into the quinoa and vegetables so that some of the cheese could filter through and mix in with the veggies. Top with extra cheese.

Allow to bake for about 20/30 minutes until the cheese is nicely golden and grilled.